The invention relates to the field of welding, and in particular to supporting a welding rod during shielded metal arc welding (SMAW).
SMAW is a welding method that uses a consumable stick electrode as a welding rod. An arc is struck between the consumable stick electrode and the base metal. A protective gas and a slag layer are generated around the welding zone, protecting the molten weld metal from oxidation such that a sound joint can be formed. Typically, the consumable stick electrode is inserted in an electrode holder which is manipulated by a user. This general structure is shown in FIG. 3, in which a consumable electrode 2 is mounted in an electrode holder 10.
Various problems have arisen in connection with this SMAW technique. The problems include waste of unused electrode material and difficulty of manipulation of the electrode holders.
Because of the high heat generated during the SMAW process, the consumable stick electrode can only be consumed such that a substantial distance remains between the electrode holder and the electrode tip. The distance between the user""s hand and the tip of the electrode must be sufficient to protect the user and the electrode holder from the high temperatures generated during the SMAW process. Accordingly, a portion of the welding rod is always wasted,
Additionally, when welding must be performed within a small area, manipulation of the electrode holder to arrive at the proper portion of the work piece can become difficult if not impossible.
Furthermore, it is often difficult to insert and remove electrodes from the provided holders.
Various solutions have been proposed to overcome the aforementioned problems. U.S. Pat. No. 2,324,924 to Hall discloses an electrode holder 10 having a pivotable clamping jaw 18 which enables movement of the electrode 44 to various angular positions.
Another proposed method for overcoming difficulties associated with welding in small or not easily accessible area involves securing the electrode holder to an extension member, such as an elongated pole (such as that used in a broomstick), to allow manipulation of the electrode holder from outside the small or inaccessible area. There are several problems associated with this proposed method (or solution). Since there is no standard tool available, the user (i.e., the welder) must spend valuable time locating and attaching the elongated pole to the electrode holder each time a need arises. Extending the entire electrode holder, including the electrode connected to it, provides the welder with an unnecessarily heavy, often bulky, and uncomfortable tool which he now must use in his work. The heavy weight of the resulting tool increases the potential for arcing outside the weld joint and so called xe2x80x9cstub-outsxe2x80x9d, a condition where the welding rod end shorts out to the material being welded and freezes to that material in the rapidly cooling weld puddle.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,555,615 provides a carbon rod assembly comprising at least to rods, which include mating internal and external threads in successive rods. When assembled, the connected rods enable a greater portion of the rods to be consumed before reaching the critical distance between the electrode holder and the workpiece.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,588,252 discloses an electrode extension holder that enables connection of two electrodes extending in opposite directions and further enables angular adjustment of the electrodes. See FIGS. 4 and 5 of the patent.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,194,107 provides a reusable electrode holder 11 including a collet to provide an easy means for applying and removing electrode tip 12. The collet 1 includes a plurality of fingers 17 that grip a tip 12 of an electrode 10. As collet 15 is withdrawn into the interior of sleeve 20, the lower portion of the sleeve engages the fingers, forcing them to grip the electrode tip 12. To remove the tip 12, a shank portion 13 is rotated opposite sleeve 20 so that the sleeve moves upwardly over the collet.
These prior art systems suffer from various drawbacks that are addressed by the present invention. First, none of the aforementioned references provides an electrode extension separate and apart from the electrode itself or the combination of the electrode holder and the electrode connected to each other. Instead, many of the prior art references merely provide multiple connected electrodes. Although the prior art systems allow for some angular adjustment, they do not allow such adjustment without the use of manipulation of screws or tools.
These and other drawbacks of prior art welding rod extension techniques are overcome by the invention as disclosed herein in conjunction smith the preferred embodiments.
It is an object of the invention to provide a lightweight electrode extension that allows a welding rod to be easily placed and manipulated in areas that are difficult to reach.
If is a further object of the invention to provide a welding rod extension, also referred to herein as xe2x80x9ca welding rod extenderxe2x80x9d or a xe2x80x9cwelding rod extending assemblyxe2x80x9d, into which an electrode can be inserted and from which the electrode can be removed without the use of tools.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a welding rod extension that can easily be connected to and disconnected from the welding rod and the electrode holder.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention are achieved by providing a welding rod extender for extending an arc welding rod. The welding rod extender comprises an elongated member including a first end and a second end, the first end being adapted for connection with an electrode holder. The welding rod extender further comprises a receiver having a first connecting end and a second connecting end, the first connecting end shaped for receiving the second end of the elongated member. The welding rod extender further comprises a tip including a first end for connection with the second connecting end of the receiver and an opposite end having an opening shaped for receiving a welding rod.
The objects of the present invention are also achieved by a welding rod extender for extending an arc welding rod, the welding, rod extender comprising an elongated member including a first end and a second end, the first end being adapted for connection with an electrode holder. The welding rod extender further comprises a collet for securely holding an end of the welding rod and a housing surrounding the collet. The housing is attached to the elongated member at a first housing end, and it comprises a housing tip at a second end such that the welding rod extends from the housing tip. The housing also comprises a receiver which is attached to the housing tip by the collet.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the preferred embodiments will become apparent when the detailed description of the preferred embodiments is read in conjunction with the drawings attached hereto.